Field
The methods and systems described, depicted, and claimed herein may relate to managing and distributing the separation of media content and associated controls within a network system.
Description of the Related Art
In the modern homes of today there typically are multiple means for receiving and displaying digital content on various display devices. Also, there are various electronic devices throughout the home that are networked together in a fashion for providing the user with a means for entertainment which often include, but are not limited to, personal computers, televisions, Internet television (“smart” televisions), digital video disk (DVD) players, compact disk (CD) players, set-top boxes (STBs), audio/video receivers (AVRs), digital video recorders (DVRs), gaming devices, digital cameras, smart-phones tablets, etc. Also, networked connected devices may also be adapted to receive content from multiple inputs representing Internet Protocol (IP) input connections.
Even with all of the advancements discussed above, there still are vast limitations in user experience for many of the devices and especially when used together. For example, while browsing the Internet on digital television (either directly or indirectly through a set-top box), the user experience is typically negated by cumbersome navigation of a complicated website, either with an attached keyboard, or limited static unidirectional remote control. Typically, personal computers (PC) work better for controlling than an Internet connected television for a user to browse the web. However, the Internet connected television can surpass the user experience than that of the personal computer (PC) experience in cases where it is used for playing high-resolution video, surround sound audio, and/or displaying content in a social/entertainment settings.
Conversely/similarly, in displaying digital content on a television that is typically viewed on a personal computer (PC) is also cumbersome. Typically, typing/searching for a webpage URL on a browser window of the television display is often challenging and limited by the television's remote control with static and unidirectional buttons features rather than the easier and more commonly known utilization of a mouse and keyboard on a personal computer (PC).
Another recent trend with respect to consumer electronic devices (more specifically, mobile devices, such as smart-phones, tablets, etc.) is that they have become increasingly affordable. In addition, the consumer electronic devices increasingly include more advanced features. These features allow homeowners to enhance their home entertainment user experience for the specific implementations of which those electronic devices are designed and sold for. As consumer electronics devices continue to become more available and improved for the user, the user's desire to access various types of digital content provided by various digital content sources (providers) also continues to grow. Unfortunately, since these consumer electronic devices such as, but not limited to, smart-phones, tablets are capable of retrieving and rendering digital content from the Internet or other networks, they are more typically designed to present the content in personal manner (smaller screen) for the single device user. Larger display devices, such as, but not limited to televisions are more typically designed to present better quality formats of video, such as high definition televisions (HDTVs) for a better and shared (more than one user) user experience.
Currently, users' access to and control of digital content throughout their home is often limited to the fractional utilization of which that device is designed for application types (e.g. watching movies, listening to music, playing games, etc.) and the various associated output and control device types throughout the various zones. Additionally, in the paradigm of consumer electronics growth and affordability it has become increasingly difficult for users to easily manage (control) and stream digital content seamlessly and transparently throughout the various output devices and associated locations (zones) cognizant of growing device control needs and associated digital content implementations (use cases) for a seamless user experience.